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12-year-old is Mayor for a day

Planting a tree, going to the local library and visiting the art gallery were among the highlights of the day Blake Sindel, 12, spent as the Mayor of the Fraser Coast earlier this week.

The Hervey Bay Special School student who has leukodystrophy – a rare, progressive, metabolic, genetic disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and often the peripheral nerves – spent the day accompanying Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour on his official engagements.

After arriving at Council’s Hervey Bay administration centre, the diminutive 12-year-old was presented with the former Hervey Bay City Council Mayoral chain of office to wear for the day.

“It was really special to have Blake here as the Mayor for the Day,” Cr Seymour said.

“We often think about how we can plan for the future for young people and for people of all ages and backgrounds; so it’s really good to have Blake as Mayor for the Day to go to different events and getting his views and thoughts on different aspects of our community.”

For Blake there were a couple of highlights: planting a tree at the Hervey Bay Botanic Garden, a tour of the Hervey Bay regional Gallery and story time at the library were good: better than the staff meetings – oh, and there was lunch at Maccas.